Meat Safety Inspector

Who We Are: The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) works hard to protect and promote Wisconsin’s agricultural industries and consumers. As an agency, we strive to serve the people of Wisconsin assuring: safe, wholesome food; consumer protection and fair business practices; animal and plant health; a clean environment; and strong agriculture and commerce. To successfully attain these goals, we recognize our success hinges on the diverse, well qualified, dedicated staff we employ and retain.

What We're Seeking: The DATCP’s Division of Food and Recreation Safety, Bureau of Meat and Poultry Businesses (BMPB), is recruiting for a Meat Safety Inspector (Meat Safety Inspector - Entry or Objective). We will be filling the position at the Entry or Objective level depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate.

This position will be field-based and will be headquartered in Kewaunee County.

The qualifying candidate is not required to live in a county headquarter location. However, there is no expense reimbursement for drive time and gas mileage to commute to the assigned headquarter location. The specific headquarter city used for determining payment of drive time and expense reimbursement will be determined at the time of hire.

This position offers the State of Wisconsin’s excellent benefits package, which includes 3.5 weeks of paid time off to start, 9 paid holidays, accrued sick leave, multiple insurance options and an exceptional retirement plan!

By working for Wisconsin State Government, you may also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Please click the link for details.

Click here to check out what working for the State of Wisconsin is all about!

This posting may be used to fill future similar permanent, project, and/or LTE vacancies.

This position is an entry or objective level field inspection position whose duties include conducting ante and post-mortem inspection of food animals and poultry in official meat establishments, as well as verifying humane handling, sanitary dressing, zero tolerance and specified risk material (SRM) requirements. In addition, this role verifies the establishment’s sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans and pathogen reduction programs comply with regulatory requirements. Duties also include verifying formulation, labeling, net weight requirements as well as collecting samples.

The work includes providing education, consultation, and regulation to licensed meat establishments, while maintaining professional relationships. The impact of the work is to assure safe and wholesome food, properly labeled, for human consumption; this includes ensuring establishments follow their SSOP and HACCP plan, and other prerequisite programs, in an effort to prevent the distribution of adulterated or misbranded product and reduce the risk of food borne disease.

Meat Safety Inspector - Entry Position Description
Meat Safety Inspector- Objective Position Description

The entry level Meat Safety Inspector - Entry is in schedule-range 05-64 with a starting pay of $26.57 - $27.00. The Meat Safety Inspector - Objective is in schedule-range 05-63 with a starting pay of $29.33- $32.79.

These positions are not represented by a collective bargaining unit. A 12-month probationary period is required. Pay for current state employees will be set in accordance with the State Compensation Plan at the time of hire.

At DATCP, we strive to deliver efficient and effective programs and services to Wisconsin agriculture, consumers, and businesses. The Department has numerous on-the-job training (OJT) opportunities, unique to each Bureau.

These OJT opportunities include direct experience and practice through collaboration with co-workers/supervisor, peer mentoring, and job-specific training modules.

OJT for our Meat Safety Inspector’s include:

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Inspection Methods

FSIS Further Processing and Labeling

Slaughter School

BMPB Regional Meetings

Job shadowing for inspection and field work

Conditions of Employment:

DATCP does not sponsor work visas. Any appointment made will be contingent on the selected applicant being able to provide documentation of eligibility to work in the United States.

A criminal background check will be performed on the selected applicant prior to an offer of employment.

Possession of a valid driver's license, or the ability to provide one’s own transportation for work purposes, is required.

The employee will drive between inspection locations and may be required to spend time in overnight travel status (ability to stay overnight as needed 1 to 4 nights per week, on occasion). The ability to work nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime as needed, is required.

Travel is required for approximately 90% of this position’s duties.

Ability to stand, walk, bend, squat, and lift up to 50 lbs.

Through use of sight and hearing must be able to observe physical surroundings.

Travel and outdoor work are required 12 months of the year.

Nearly all the work of these positions will be in the field, which includes working in inclement weather and/or extreme temperature, as well as working in environments that have slippery or uneven floors; cold, humid, or dry conditions; and may require engaging in difficult conversations with plant personnel. Experience working in challenging environments, which may include slaughter establishments, meat processing establishments, or food production facilities, is preferred.

Minimally qualified candidates at the Entry level will have:

Experience using computer software, programs, and databases in an educational or professional setting, including but not limited to, Outlook, Excel, SharePoint, Word, etc.

And at least one of the following:

Experience working in a regulated industry (retail food establishment, restaurant, product/facility inspections, meat/poultry processing, food processing plants, dairy plants/farms, etc.) which prepares food for human consumption; or

Experience demonstrating knowledge, judgment, interpretive ability, and technical skill associated with making a product which meets all prescribed standards of quality and confirms with approved production methods, or

Experience working in quality assurance or inspection verifying compliance with established standards, specifications, or regulations; or

Training or education in Animal Science, Meat Science, Biology, Microbiology, Food Science or another related field of study

Highly qualified candidates at the Entry level will have one or more of the following:

Experience interpreting and enforcing state and/or federal regulations

Training and/or experience with hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) plans

In addition to the Entry level requirements, the Objective level applicants will also have the following:

Completed Food Safety Inspection Services Inspection Methods training or its equivalent and have successfully completed a state or federal training and assessment program

Minimum of six months of prior experience independently performing ante and post-mortem inspection, as well as inspection tasks using PHIS covering processing tasks such as HACCP Verification, Pre-Op and Operational SSOP, General Labeling, Hazard Analysis Verification, etc.

If viewing this posting on an external site (such as indeed.com, etc.), please visit Wisc.Jobs and search for this Job ID: 20628 to complete your application for this posting.

DATCP is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.

The State of Wisconsin offers a special program for qualified veterans with a 30% or greater service-connected disability. If you are a qualified veteran, please visit the Veterans Employment page for application instructions to be considered for the Veterans Non-Competitive Appointment program. For complete information on veterans hiring programs that may benefit you, please visit the Employment page on WDVA's website.

To be considered for this position, you will need to create an account (if you don’t already have one) and apply online via the “Apply for Job” button listed on the top right of the job posting page. You will be required to upload a current resume and a letter of qualifications that clearly describes your qualifications and experience as they relate to the qualifications listed in this job posting. If you do not upload these materials, your application will not be considered. Review the applicant resources, including tips on how to write a resume and letter of qualifications.

Submitted application materials will be evaluated by one or more job experts. Candidates who are deemed eligible will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process, starting with those candidates who are deemed most qualified.

For general Wisc.Jobs user information and technical assistance, please check the Frequently Asked Questions. Please address questions regarding the application process to Jensen Peterson Jensen.peterson@wisconsin.gov

The deadline to apply for this position is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 20.